A nurse is preparing to administer hydralazine to a client with severe pre-eclampsia who has a blood pressure of 170/110 mmHg.

What is the expected outcome of this medication?

To prevent seizures

To lower blood pressure

To increase urine output

To improve placental perfusion

Answer and Explanation

The Correct Answer is B

To lower blood pressure. Hydralazine is an antihypertensive drug that is used to treat severe hypertension in pre-eclampsia. It works by relaxing the blood vessels and reducing the resistance to blood flow.

This helps to lower the blood pressure and prevent complications such as stroke, kidney damage, or placental abruption.

Choice A is wrong because hydralazine does not prevent seizures.

Seizures are a symptom of eclampsia, a more severe form of pre-eclampsia. To prevent seizures, magnesium sulfate is usually given intravenously.

Choice C is wrong because hydralazine does not increase urine output. In fact, it may cause fluid retention and edema as a side effect. Diuretics are drugs that increase urine output, but they are not recommended for pre-eclampsia because they may worsen the condition by reducing blood volume and placental perfusion.

Choice D is wrong because hydralazine does not improve placental perfusion.

Placental perfusion is the blood flow to the placenta, which provides oxygen and nutrients to the fetus.

Placental perfusion may be impaired in pre-eclampsia due to abnormal development of the placental blood vessels. Hydralazine does not affect the placental blood vessels directly, but it may improve placental perfusion indirectly by lowering the maternal blood pressure and reducing the risk of abruption.

However, this is not the primary or expected outcome of hydralazine therapy.

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Correct Answer is A

Explanation

The most likely explanation for the client's findings of severe headache, blurred vision, hyperreflexia, and clonus in the context of severe pre-eclampsia is A. Cerebral edema.

Pre-eclampsia is a pregnancy-related condition characterized by high blood pressure (hypertension) and signs of organ damage, most commonly affecting the liver and kidneys. Severe pre-eclampsia can lead to complications such as eclampsia, which is characterized by seizures. The symptoms described by the client, including severe headache and blurred vision, are consistent with neurological manifestations associated with severe pre-eclampsia.

Hyperreflexia refers to an exaggerated reflex response, and clonus refers to rhythmic contractions of a muscle when it is passively stretched. Both hyperreflexia and clonus are indicative of central nervous system (CNS) hyperexcitability. Cerebral edema, which is the swelling of the brain due to fluid accumulation, can lead to increased intracranial pressure and neurological symptoms such as headache, vision changes, hyperreflexia, and clonus.

While other complications such as pulmonary edema (B), hemolysis (C), and thrombocytopenia (D) can occur in severe pre-eclampsia, they are not directly associated with the reported symptoms of severe headache, blurred vision, hyperreflexia, and clonus.

A. Sudden weight gain B. Swelling of the face and hands C. Epigastric pain D. Decreased fetal movement E. Vaginal bleeding

Correct Answer is ["C","D"]

Explanation

The correct answer is choice C and D.Epigastric pain and decreased fetal movement are signs of severe pre-eclampsia that indicate damage to the liver and placenta respectively.These symptoms should be reported to the health care provider immediately as they may lead to serious complications such as eclampsia, HELLP syndrome, placental abruption or fetal growth restriction.

Choice A is wrong because sudden weight gain is a common symptom of mild pre-eclampsia that does not necessarily require immediate attention.However, it should be monitored regularly along with blood pressure and urine protein levels.

Choice B is wrong because swelling of the face and hands is also a common symptom of mild pre-eclampsia that does not indicate severe organ damage.It may be caused by fluid retention or edema.

Choice E is wrong because vaginal bleeding is not a typical symptom of pre-eclampsia.It may be a sign of other pregnancy complications such as placenta previa, placental abruption or cervical infection.

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A nurse is preparing to administer hydralazine to a client with severe pre-eclampsia who has a blood pressure of 170/110 mmHg. What is the expected outcome of this medication?

Nursing Test Bank

Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams

A nurse is assessing a client with severe pre-eclampsia who reports a severe headache and blurred vision. The nurse notes that the client has hyperreflexia with clonus. What is the most likely explanation for these findings?

Correct Answer is A

Explanation

A nurse is educating a client with mild pre-eclampsia about the signs and symptoms that she should report to her health care provider. Which of the following should the nurse include? (Select all that apply.)

Correct Answer is ["C","D"]

Explanation

A nurse is providing discharge instructions to a client who had pre-eclampsia and delivered a healthy baby. Which statement by the client indicates a need for further teaching?

A client who is 36 weeks pregnant is admitted to the hospital with a diagnosis of eclampsia. She has a history of chronic hypertension and gestational diabetes. The nurse anticipates that the client will receive which of the following medications to prevent seizures?

A nurse is caring for a client who has severe preeclampsia and is receiving magnesium sulfate infusion. Which of the following assessments is most important for the nurse to monitor?

A nurse is preparing to administer hydralazine to a client with pre-eclampsia who has a blood pressure of 180/110 mmHg. What is the rationale for using this medication?

A nurse is assessing a client with pre-eclampsia who is receiving oxytocin for labor induction. Which finding would alert the nurse to suspect that the client is developing HELLP syndrome?

A nurse is caring for a client with severe pre-eclampsia who is receiving magnesium sulfate. Which of the following findings would indicate magnesium toxicity and require immediate intervention?

A nurse is reviewing the laboratory results of a client with severe pre-eclampsia. Which of the following results would indicate hepatic involvement? (Select all that apply.)

A nurse is reviewing the laboratory results of a client who has mild preeclampsia. Which of the following findings would indicate a need for further evaluation?

A nurse is preparing to administer hydralazine to a client with severe pre-eclampsia who has a blood pressure of 170/110 mmHg.

What is the expected outcome of this medication?